IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/diw/diwvjh/73-40-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Krankenkassenwettbewerb in der GKV: Evidenz für Risikoselektion?

Author

Listed:
  • Robert Nuscheler

Abstract

In 1996, free choice of sickness fund was given to those insured under the German Public Health Insurance System, thus significantly intensifying competition among funds. As funds must not charge risk-related premiums (community rating), there are substantial selection incentives, i.e. funds have incentives to engage in active risk selection to improve their risk pool. In this paper we argue that the distortions observed in the German Public Health Insurance market do not originate from active but from passive risk selection. Thus, the problem is not competition but its insufficient organization. Improved risk adjustment would mitigate this problem and would, additionally, allow for more competition on the market. Seit 1996 können die Versicherten in der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung Deutschlands (GKV) ihre Krankenkasse frei wählen. Der Wettbewerb zwischen den Kassenwurde damit erheblich verstärkt. Wegen des Verbots risikoabhängiger Prämien (Diskriminierungsverbot) haben die Krankenkassen einen Anreiz, aktiv Risikoselektion zu betreiben - sich also aktiv um eine Verbesserung ihres Risikopools zu bemühen. In diesem Beitrag wird argumentiert, dass die Wettbewerbsverzerrungen in der GKV nicht auf aktive, sondern auf passive Risikoselektion zurückzuführen sind. Das Problem liegt also nicht im Wettbewerb selbst, sondern in der schlechten Organisation des Wettbewerbs. Ein verbesserter Risikostrukturausgleich würde dieses Problem entschärfen und zudem eine weitere Stärkung des Wettbewerbs ermöglichen.

Suggested Citation

  • Robert Nuscheler, 2004. "Krankenkassenwettbewerb in der GKV: Evidenz für Risikoselektion?," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 73(4), pages 528-538.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwvjh:73-40-4
    DOI: 10.3790/vjh.73.4.528
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.3790/vjh.73.4.528
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.3790/vjh.73.4.528?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Johannes Schwarze & Hanfried H. Andersen, 2001. "Kassenwechsel in der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung: welche Rolle spielt der Beitragssatz?," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 267, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Michael Rothschild & Joseph Stiglitz, 1976. "Equilibrium in Competitive Insurance Markets: An Essay on the Economics of Imperfect Information," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 90(4), pages 629-649.
    3. Stefan Greß, 2002. "Freie Kassenwahl und Preiswettbewerb in der GKV: Effekte und Perspektiven," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 71(4), pages 490-497.
    4. Buchner, Florian & Wasem, Jurgen, 2003. "Needs for further improvement: risk adjustment in the German health insurance system," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 21-35, July.
    5. Andreas Werblow, 2002. "Alles nur Selektion?: Der Einfluss von Selbstbehalten in der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 71(4), pages 427-436.
    6. Martin Schellhorn, 2002. "Auswirkungen wählbarer Selbstbehalte in der Krankenversicherung: Lehren aus der Schweiz?," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 71(4), pages 411-426.
    7. Van de ven, Wynand P.M.M. & Ellis, Randall P., 2000. "Risk adjustment in competitive health plan markets," Handbook of Health Economics, in: A. J. Culyer & J. P. Newhouse (ed.), Handbook of Health Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 14, pages 755-845, Elsevier.
    8. Buchmueller, Thomas C. & Feldstein, Paul J., 1997. "The effect of price on switching among health plans," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 231-247, April.
    9. Kifmann, Mathias, 2002. "Community rating in health insurance and different benefit packages," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 719-737, September.
    10. Robert Nuscheler & Thomas Knaus, 2005. "Risk selection in the German public health insurance system," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(12), pages 1253-1271, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bettina Becker & Silke Uebelmesser, 2010. "Health Insurance Competition in Germany - the Role of Advertising," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 130(2), pages 169-194.
    2. Robert Nuscheler & Thomas Knaus, 2005. "Risk selection in the German public health insurance system," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(12), pages 1253-1271, December.
    3. Pilny, Adam & Wübker, Ansgar & Ziebarth, Nicolas R., 2017. "Introducing risk adjustment and free health plan choice in employer-based health insurance: Evidence from Germany," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 330-351.
    4. Jacob Glazer & Thomas G. McGuire, 2006. "Contending with Risk Selection in Health Insurance Markets in Germany," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 7(s1), pages 75-91, May.
    5. Xu, Weiwei & van de Ven, Wynand P.M.M., 2013. "Consumer choice among Mutual Healthcare Purchasers: A feasible option for China?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 277-284.
    6. Schmitz, Hendrik & Ziebarth, Nicolas R., 2011. "In Absolute or Relative Terms? How Framing Prices Affects the Consumer Price Sensitivity of Health Plan Choice," Ruhr Economic Papers 304, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    7. Michiel Bijlsma & Jan Boone & Gijsbert Zwart, 2014. "Competition leverage: how the demand side affects optimal risk adjustment," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 45(4), pages 792-815, December.
    8. Martina Grunow & Robert Nuscheler, 2014. "Public And Private Health Insurance In Germany: The Ignored Risk Selection Problem," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(6), pages 670-687, June.
    9. Karolin Becker & Peter Zweifel, 2005. "Cost Sharing in Health Insurance: An Instrument for Risk Selection?," SOI - Working Papers 0513, Socioeconomic Institute - University of Zurich.
    10. Knaus, Thomas & Nuscheler, Robert, 2002. "Incomplete risk adjustment and adverse selection in the German public health insurance system [Unvollständiger Risikostrukturausgleich und Adverse Selektion in der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung ," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Market Processes and Governance FS IV 02-27, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    11. van de Ven, Wynand P. M. M. & van Vliet, Rene C. J. A. & Schut, Frederik T. & van Barneveld, Erik M., 2000. "Access to coverage for high-risks in a competitive individual health insurance market: via premium rate restrictions or risk-adjusted premium subsidies?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 311-339, May.
    12. Stefan Greß & Ralf Kocher & Jürgen Wasem, 2004. "Wettbewerbsorientierte Reformen im Gesundheitssystem der Schweiz – Vorbild für regulierten Wettbewerb in der deutschen GKV?," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, Verein für Socialpolitik, vol. 5(1), pages 59-70, February.
    13. Drevs Florian & Nguyen Tristan, 2012. "Adverse Selektion light – Der Einfluss des Flat-Rate-Bias auf das Tarifwahlverhalten bei Krankenversicherungen / Adverse Selection Light – How can flat-rate bias influence insurance demand," ORDO. Jahrbuch für die Ordnung von Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft, De Gruyter, vol. 63(1), pages 365-382, January.
    14. Buchner, Florian & Goepffarth, Dirk & Wasem, Juergen, 2013. "The new risk adjustment formula in Germany: Implementation and first experiences," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 253-262.
    15. Duijmelinck, Daniëlle M.I.D. & Mosca, Ilaria & van de Ven, Wynand P.M.M., 2015. "Switching benefits and costs in competitive health insurance markets: A conceptual framework and empirical evidence from the Netherlands," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(5), pages 664-671.
    16. repec:zbw:rwirep:0304 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Höppner, Karin & Greß, Stefan & Rothgang, Heinz & Wasem, Jürgen & Braun, Bernard & Buitkamp, Martin, 2005. "Grenzen und Dysfunktionalitäten des Kassenwettbewerbs in der GKV: Theorie und Empirie der Risikolektion in Deutschland," Working papers of the ZeS 04/2005, University of Bremen, Centre for Social Policy Research (ZeS).
    18. Hendrik Schmitz & Nicolas R. Ziebarth, 2011. "In Absolute or Relative Terms? How Framing Prices Affects the Consumer Price Sensitivity of," Ruhr Economic Papers 0304, Rheinisch-Westfälisches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universität Dortmund, Universität Duisburg-Essen.
    19. Shi Bo & Chen Wen, 2018. "Individual Health Insurance Market with an Entrant – The ACA Health Insurance Exchange Observations," Asia-Pacific Journal of Risk and Insurance, De Gruyter, vol. 12(2), pages 1-27, July.
    20. Rudy Douven & Ron van der Heijden & Thomas McGuire & Erik Schut, 2017. "Premium levels and demand response in health insurance: relative thinking and zero-price effects," CPB Discussion Paper 366, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    21. Keane, Michael, 2004. "Modeling Health Insurance Choices in “Competitive” Markets," MPRA Paper 55198, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:diw:diwvjh:73-40-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Bibliothek (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/diwbede.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.